Good news roundup: 2022 Summary
January 06, 2023
Each month we share some good news storys on subjects like sustainability, the natural world, biodiversity, and clean tech that you may have missed.
This month we look at five of the top stories from 2022, and why we should be optimistic about combatting climate change. Despite the positives, there are still vast challenges facing us, and 2023 needs to be a year of huge progress to ensure we get ourselves on track to hit the targets agreed upon in the Paris Agreement.
Read on to find out more!
1. Renewable energy production hit record levels and is on track to become the largest source of global electricity by 2025
The global energy crisis, and the war in Ukraine, have both highlighted how important a transition to low-carbon and secure energy sources is. Not just for combatting climate change, but also to help reduce inequalities and poverty in developed and less developed countries around the world.
In the second quarter of 2022, 43% of Europe’s energy mix came from renewables, and data showed that EU emissions in November reached their lowest value in 30 years.
China, the US, and India have also made great strides in their commitment to shifting to alternative energy sources in light of their net-zero targets.
According to the International Energy Agency’s latest report, renewable energy is now on track to become the largest source of global electricity generation by 2025, and by 2027, the world will have twice as much renewable capacity as in the previous five years.
You can read more in the full story here.
2. The US passed the biggest climate bill in the country’s history
A deal has passed US congress that represents the biggest single climate investment in US history. Joe Biden has praised the deal that would see an expansive $739bn package which includes large funds for climate-related measures.
The deal would invest $369bn over the next decade in strategies to fight climate change. These include investments in the renewable sector, and tax rebates for consumers to buy new or used electric vehicles.
The package, called the Inflation Reduction Act, would cut US emissions by 40% by 2030, a summary released by Schumer’s office said, and earned praise from clean-energy advocates and Democratic party elders.
The deal comes with some concessions, but could spark a new wave of global investment as the world looks to push on towards net-zero.
You can read more in the full story here.
3. COP27 Reaches Breakthrough Agreement on New “Loss and Damage” Fund for Vulnerable Countries
The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 closed with a breakthrough agreement to provide “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters.
Governments took the ground-breaking decision to establish a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in responding to loss and damage. Governments also agreed to establish a ‘transitional committee’ to make recommendations on how to operationalize both the new funding arrangements and the fund at COP28 next year. The first meeting of the transitional committee is expected to take place before the end of March 2023.
You can read more in the original story here.
4. The fightback against short-haul flights and private jets has started to gather pace in Europe
France has been given the green light to ban short haul domestic flights. The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of fewer than 2.5 hours.
The changes are part of the country’s 2021 Climate Law and were first proposed by France's Citizens' Convention on Climate - a citizens' assembly tasked with finding ways to reduce the country's carbon emissions.
France is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys in a bid to make transport greener and fairer for the population.
Transport minister Clément Beaune said the country could no longer tolerate the super rich using private planes while the public is making cutbacks to deal with the energy crisis and climate change.
Following this news, Belgium has also begun a crackdown on private jets and short-haul flights with a new tax.
You can read the full story here.
5. Lula’s election in Brazil brings hope for the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest and one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems
President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told the world that “Brazil is back” at COP27, vowing to begin undoing the environmental destruction seen under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, and work towards zero deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.
Leading Brazilian environmental figures will help to oversee the changes including climate scientist Carlos Nobre whose studies warn the Amazon is close to crossing an irreversible tipping point, and the former environment minister Marina Silva who oversaw an enormous drop in deforestation during Lula’s first presidency.
Around the world, he underscored Brazil’s new partnership with Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – the big three rainforest nations – to work together on their conservation.
You can read more in the original story here.
That's all for this month. If you'd like to share a story with us then get in touch by emailing hello@alectro.io and we'll add it to the next month. Thanks for reading!
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